Preview: French Open: Jannik Sinner vs. Clement Tabur - prediction, form, head-to-head

French Open favourite Jannik Sinner takes on wild card Clement Tabur in Monday’s first round, aiming to extend his impressive winning streak.

Back at the scene of his chastening championship defeat 12 months ago, the Italian will be keen to avoid a shock exit at the hands of the second-time Roland-Garros participant.

Match preview

Career Grand Slam-chasing Sinner has been almost unstoppable since losing his Australian Open crown in January, before a shock exit to Jakub Mensik in Doha the following month.

March has brought about an undeniable consistency beyond the Italian’s wildest dreams, with the world No. 1 reeling off 29 wins on the trot en route to securing the Sunshine Double, as well as Masters 1000 titles in Monte-Carlo, Madrid and Rome, to become the second man after Novak Djokovic and the youngest to complete the career Golden Masters.

Although he has dropped just three sets during his outstanding run — against Tomas Machac in the Principality, Benjamin Bonzi in Madrid and Daniil Medvedev at the Italian Masters — the 24-year-old appeared to be suffering physically in the latter rounds of the Italian Open, especially against Andrey Rublev and Medvedev.

After appearing to be running on empty on the dirt on home turf, it will be interesting to see whether the top seed’s condition has improved after a week of rest and recuperation.

Having never exited in the opening round in Paris, the 2025 finalist and top seed is a heavy favourite to advance to the second round at the home player’s expense.

Tabur, for his part, will look to play without fear as he takes on the leading player on the men’s tour in the opening round.

After failing to come through qualifying at his home tournament in 2022 and 2024, last year brought a debut Grand Slam appearance on home soil after he successfully negotiated qualifying.

However, the 26-year-old was eliminated by countryman Corentin Moutet in the first round, losing in straight sets, and the world No. 165 now faces a significantly sterner test against the top seed.

While he has yet to make a main-draw appearance on clay this season, Tabur holds a 10-5 clay-court record since Houston, although the Frenchman could not make it through qualifying there.

Recovering to claim the Challenger title at Tallahassee last month, the world No. 165 could not get past Alexei Popyrin in Geneva this week, even though it was not for the want of trying, having taken the Australian to three hours in a three-set thriller.

Looking to take positives from that Geneva defeat, the wild card will take on Sinner in the biggest match of his career, aiming to achieve the impossible.

Head To Head

Sinner and Tabur will meet for the first time on the ATP Tour, with the top seed a clear favourite to win their match in Paris.

The 2025 runner-up holds a 36-2 record this season, significantly better than the home players 0-1 mark at tour level and 21-13 record across all levels, including qualifying.

We say: Sinner to win in three sets

Sinner has dropped only three sets across a long stretch of tournaments against far stronger opposition than Tabur.

If his fitness holds after a week of rest, the gulf in class suggests a quick, straight-sets victory.